Fruit-gatherer.



No. 775,248. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904 J. R. REID.

FRUIT GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED 0011s. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: I w VENTOR @1716; E. fiewl w pwk/ W A TTOHNE YS No. 775,248.PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. J. R. REID. FRUIT GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 13. 1903. .NO MODEL. 2SHEET8-8IIEBT 2- W/T/VESSES: N VE N 70/? MJJQJM azzmwjafiez-cz By W A TTORNEYS PatentedNovember 15, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROBERT REID, OF VANCOUVER, \VASHINGTON.

FRUlT-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,248, dated November15, 1904. Application filed October 13,1903. Serial No. 176,867. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs ROBERT REID, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Vancouver, in the county of Clarke and State ofWashington. have invented a new and Improved Fruit-Gatherer, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in I fruit-gathering devices.

\Vith some classes of fruit instead of picking it is found moreexpedient to shake the same from the trees; but the falling of the fruiton muddy or similar ground is objectionable, because of the washing andcleaning that must follow.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensivedevice adapted to be arranged around a tree below the branches and intowhich the fruit may fall and from which the fruit may be discharged intoa suitable receptacle.

Another object is to so construct the de; vice that it may be easilymoved from tree to tree or from one orchard to another, and that may becompactly folded when not in use.

I will describe a fruit-gatherer embodying my invention and then pointout the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a fruit-gatherer embodying my invention witha portion of the top removed. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking in thedirection of the arrows 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation looking inthe direction of the arrows 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a detail showingmeans for connecting certain of the frame members.

The device comprises a frame consisting of two semicircular sections, asindicated atAB. Each section has oppositely-extended ribs 5,

removably engaged in the opposite ends of a I socket 6 and secured inposition by a thumbnut 7. It will be noted that the two ribs 5 of thesections are convergent to a certain point and then have parallelportions 8, designed to be engaged together when the device is inoperation. Connected to each rib 5 by means of a hinge 9 is a rib 10,and between the two ribs 10 of a section is a rib 11. which has hingeconnection 12 with the socket 6. A metal ring 13 is formed inquarter-sections, one end of the sections being secured to the ribs 5,while the adjacent or meeting ends are secured by means of thumb-nuts14: in sockets 15. The ribs 10 and 11 are rigidly but removablyconnected to the ring 13 by means of clips 16, which have hook portionsfor engaging under the ring, and the shanks of these clips are securedto the ribs by means of bolts 17, passing through the ribs and engagingin tapped holes in the clips and in plates 18 on the upper sides of theribs.

From the socket members 6 rods 19 extend downward and are braced by rods20. Adjustable on these rods 19 are sleeves 21, havingoutwardly-extended arms in which bearing-wheels 22 are journaled.Extended downward from the socket members 15 are rods 23, on whichsleeves 24E are adjustable, said sleeves having outwardly-extended arms25, in which the bearing-wheels 26 have their shaft-bearings.Surrounding each depending rod 19 or 23 above the sleeve therein is acollar 27, through which a thumb-screw passes to secure the sleeve asadjusted, and consequently to secure the sleeve in its adjusted positionon the rod to cause a slant or incline of the gathering device, as willbe hereinafter described. It will be noted that the wheels comprisingthe pair 22 are near the center of the structure and the wheels 26 arenear the periphery, and the several wheels are in axial alinement, thussupporting the device so that it may be readily tilted, and alsopermitting it to be moved and turned around on the ground. The two rods23 are braced by rods 28.

Extending downward and outward from each rib 5 is a supporting-rod 29,the lower end 30 of which is slightly broadened, so as not to press intosoft ground, and legs 29 extend from the lower ends of said rod to theframe.

Each section of the frame is provided with a canvas covering 31, saidcovering being provided at its edges with perforations to receive thereduced ends of the ribs, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. henthe two sections porting-wheels near the periphery thereof, the severalwheels being in axial alinement.

2. A fruit-gatherer, comprising a frame consisting of sections, eachsection having a socket member, ribs for engaging in said socketmembers, ribs having swinging connection with the first-named ribs, ribshaving of the frame are placed together around a tree, there may be aslight space between the adjacent edges of the canvas 31 of the twosections. To prevent the fruit from passing through said space, I employa flap 32, of canvas or other suitable material, secured to the cover ofone section and adapted tolie loosely upon the cover of the othersection, and outward from each end of the flap 32 is a short flap 33,also secured at one end to one top 31 and bearing loosely on the othertop. The space between the flaps 30 and 32 is designed to permit thedischarge of fruit through a spout 3 1 into a suitable receptacle 35. Itis, to be understood that in the operation the de- Vice is to be tiltedby raising and lowering the necessary wheels, so that the fruit willroll by gravity to the discharge -openings. The opening at the upperportion of the incline may be covered by a flap 35*.

It will be noted that the several ribs exfor the frame members. tendoutward to the ring 13 in a substantially 4. A fruit gatherer,comprising a frame horizontal plane; but outward of the ring 1consisting of two sections, each section havthe ribs have an upwardinclination, so that I ing a socket member, ribs extended outward thetop or covering will substantially form a l from opposite ends of saidsocket member, pan, whereby the fruit will not be discharged l ribshaving hinge connection with said firstover the edges thereof. Thecanvas top or covering may be removably attached at in- I bers, andcanvas coverings having connection with the ribs. i

3. A fruit-gatherer comprising a frame consisting of two sections, eachsection being formed of radial ribs, several ribs being extended on asubstantially horizontal plane for a portion of their length, and theninclined upward, said frame including a sectional ring removably securedto certain of the ribs at the junction of the upwardly-turned portion,with the horizontal portion, supporting-wheels for the frame members,and canvas coverings with the socket member, bearing-rods eX- tendeddownward from the first-named ribs, a sectional ring with which theseveral ribs engage, and canvas coverings for the framesections.

5. A fruit-gatherer, comprising a frame consisting of sections, eachsection comprising a plurality of radial ribs, asectional ring, clipsfor removably connecting certain of the ribs to said ring, andvertically-adjustable bearing-wheels for the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ROBERT REID.

tervals to the ring 13 or to the sections thereof by means of straps 36.

The operation of the device is quite obvious-that is, the two sectionsor members of the frame are to be placed around the tree (1:, asindicated in Fig. 1, and the device tilted as before described. Thefruit when shaken from the tree will fall into the canvas top anddischarge through the opening into the receptacle or on the ground, asdesired. When not in use, the frame-sections may be compactly folded bymeans of their hinge conr nections.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l I as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A fruit-gatherer, comprising a sectional iframe, a flexible cover therefor, supportingwheels near the center ofthe frame, and sup- WVitnesses:

JOHN OKEANE, JOHN IV. TOLLMAN.

swinging connection with the socket mem named ribs, a rib having hingeconnection

